Acetylene-gas generator.



No. 687,534. Patented Nov.- 26. mm; o. a. LONG.

ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application filed Aug. 17, 1901.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID N. LONG, OF BUFFALO,'NEVV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO J. B. COLT COM- PANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,' ACORPORATION OF-NEV YORK.

ACETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 687,534, dated November 26, 1901. Original applicationfiled January 16, 1896, Serial No. 575,711. Divided and this application filed August 17, 1901. Serial To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, DAVID N. LONG, of En ffalo, in the State of New York, have invented certain new and usefullmprovemen ts in Generators for Acetylene and other Gases, of

which the following is a specification, illustrated by accompanying drawings, being a division of my application, Serial No. 575,711, filed January 16, 1896.

The invention is designed with particular reference to the production and control of gases generated by'bringing in contact water and one of the metallic carbids, calcium carbid being at present most used. Generators of this type may be divided into two classes: first, those in which the wateris carried above the carbid-chamber, and, second, those in which the carbid-chamber, whether for pul- Verized or lump carbid, is carried over the Water-chamber. The present invention belongs to the latter class and is a division of my application filed January 16, 1896.

In generators where the carbid-chamber is above the water-chamber I have found it highly desirable to have an automaticallycontrolled valved passage-way directed downward for affording a controllable communication between the water and the carbid and for allowing the fine granular material, Whether carbid or its residuu1ncalcium hydrate-to fall down into the lower chamber. This chamber must be cleaned out from time to time. The construction of the passageway and the stop or valve should be such that when no gas is being used the valve will tend to exclude moisture and Vapor from the water as well as merely keeping the carbid and the water apart. Where pulverized carbid is to be used and dropped through the valve 40 little by little into the water as required, it is only necessary to incline the portions of the carbid-chamberin the vicinity of the passageway sufficiently to permit the slipping of the material along such incline; but where, on the other hand, it is intended that the water shall rise through the valved passage-way and reach the carbid as required from time to time there the residuum in the wet state must slide along the incline and reach the (No model.)

valved passage-Way and drop through it without blocking orinterfering with the valve or stop.

The object of the present invention is to produce an apparatus fulfilling all these requirements and reliable, safe, and efiicient in operation.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention as proportioned and arranged for raising the water up to the carbid, these being the more severe conditions, and from these the use of the invention under the other and more simple conditions will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

Figure 1 is a vertical central section of a generator embodying the invention in one form. Fig. 2 is a detached vertical central section, on an enlarged scale, showing the valve and its seat.

Within the outer casing 12 for the water is placed ,a gas holder or hell 0, containing the carbid-chamber d. It must not be understood that the invention is restricted to such a form of expansible gas-holder, as other forms are well known. The bottornfof the carbid-chamber converges downward and'is provided with an opening or passage-way g, delivering into the water-chamber b beneath. I have selected for illustration a form of my invention that is best adapted when the gasholding bell is sufficiently heavy or weighted to cause the Water to rise through the opening 9 instead of allowing powdered carbid to fall through the opening 9. Consequently this form of my apparatus may, if desired, utilize lump-carbid and depend on the water rising to the carbid instead of necessitating the employment of pulverized carbid; but in the latter case the gas-bell 0 need not be so heavily weighted or a lower water-level may be used, as the water should never be allowed to rise to the opening g. The opening g is provided with a valve or stop h, which is preferably connected with or supported from the bottom of the outer casing b, so that there will be a relative movement between the valve and its seat or passageway g when the hell 0 rises or falls. The valve and its seat are not fitted one to another so as to seat the valve upon a considerable area of surface or seat, as is custhis present case, except so far as they may tomary 1n valves tor liquids; but as the valve has to operate and seat itself notwithstanding the presence of granular or gritty material the valve and its seat come together only along a fine annular line or edge of contact,

as shown on an enlarged scale in Fig. 2. In order to prevent too great an accumulation of carbid residue (or of carbid, as'the case may be) in the vicinity of the valve or stop h and its seat, I provide a carbid-supportj, so placed that it protects the valve h and its opening or seat 9 from the direct pressure of the entire mass of carbid. The falling carbid or carbid residuum, as the case may be, must-pass through the indirect or tortuous annular space between the supportj and the inclined bottom f to reach the valve h, and consequently only a very thin and light layer of material can slip down to the valve and the openingg at any time. This insures free action between the opening g and its valve or stop. In the form of the invention shown the carbid-support j may preferably be carried by the rod 70 and pins Z on the bottom of weight of the carbid off the bell and is not obbe made use 01: Ior regulating the Weight ot the floating gas-bell.

At w are shown catches which engage the projections to when the gas-bell is raised sufficiently by hand. When so engaged and held, the operation of the apparatus Will be suspended, the valve h closed, and the top or cover d of the carbid-chamber may be taken off, giving access to the interior for cleaning and charging it.

The gas-may be led from the gas-holder through any suitable connection and valve 00 directly or indirectly to any suitable burners.

The operation of the apparatus shown is as follows: The gas-bell is raised and held up by the catches w w while the carbid is being put in. The requisite amount of water should be in the water-chamber, enough being used to insure its rising within the bell and reaching the carbid when the bell sinks to the position shown if lump carbid is employed. After the top (1 has been screwed on tightly the bell may be lowered slowly after releasing the catches to until the valve h is raised relatively to its seat, (which occurs by the lowering of the seat.) Thereupon communiing two openings and valves or covers 0 and p therefor, which can be operated from out-j side the apparatus and have a chute q, which directs the residue as it settles through the water into the receptacle m. The valve 0 is kept open for this purpose and the valve or coverp closed during the normal operation of the apparatus; but by closing the valve 0,

and opening cover 13 the residue. may be're moved from the receptacle m without interfering with the rest of the apparatus, and

then the cover 1) may be closed and the valve 0 again opened.

Around the gas-holder I may-provide an annular flotation air-chamber 1", open at the bottom only. For the purpose of readily modifying and regulating the weight, or rather the downward pressure, of the gashell I provide a screw-threaded rod 25, secured centrally on a cross-piece u across the lower portion of the gas-bell c, andupon this I screw an adjustable follower t and an upward-pressing spring t. By adjusting the follower t on the rod 25 a greater or less upward pressure is exerted upon the gas-bell,

and thereby tends to decrease the effective" gas-pressure crates.

At 1: and o are shown certain water-holding chambers that form the subject ofja divisional application and are of no interest in under which the apparatus opcation between the carbid and the water is opened and the generation of gas begins. The gas generated immediately causes the bell to rise, closing or nearly closing the valve or stop h, and thereby shutting off the communication between Water and carbid until the gas is drawn off and a new supply required. In practice when the apparatus is running the total vertical movement of the bell and consequent opening and closing of the valve or stop h is very slight. When lump-carbid is used, the Water rises above and falls beneath the valve, and when powdered carbid is used the carbid falls through the valve into the water beneath and generates gas until the valve is so nearly closed as to prevent any more carbid fallin As the gas is drawn oif the valve of course opens slightly. The water-level will bekept down ata lowerlevel when operating with powdered carbid and a slightly greater pressureconsequently produced if other conditions, such as the weight of the moving parts, are the same. As the material falls through the opening 9 the residue passes into the chamber m, as already explained.

'I desire to point out a radical difference between my invention and such devices as are shown in the Dickerson patent, No. 541,526.

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In that patent device only a determined quan-,

tity of carbid can be fed to water or determined quantity of water be fed to carbid at intervals, and the feeding device, if it can be called a valve in any sense, is not a valve in the sense of my patent, because it can never leave a restricted, but open, passage-way between the carbid and the water. In my invention, on the other hand, a stop or valve may-close the opening or passage-way entirely or may control and restrict the continuous flow of materials through a slightlyopened passage-way,

In order to point out the features of my invention that I claim broadly as new and char-' acteristic, however they may be utilized in generators of this class, I make the following claims:

1. In a generator of the type wherein a solid material such as carbid or its residuum passes downward through an opening or passage-way into a chamber beneath, the combination of a liquid-holding tank anda solidholding receptacle or chamber provided with an opening or passage-way leading downward from the said solid-holding receptacle and provided with a seat for a valve or stop, and

.tradistinction to seating upon a broad and fitted surface, and means controlled by the gas generated for giving relative adjustment between the valve or stop and its seat, substantially as set forth.

2. In agenerator of the type wherein a solid material such as carbid or its residuum passes downward through an opening or passageway into a'chamber beneath,- the combination of a liquid-holding tank and a solid-holding receptacle or chamberprovided with an opening or passage-way leading downward from the said solid-holding receptacle, a valve or stop therefor, which meets the said opening at a substantially narrow annular line of contact in contradistinct'ion to being seated upon a broad and fitted surface when closed, and leaves a substantially free passage through which granular or finesolid material may pass when open, and means-"controlled by the gas generated for giving relative adjustment between the valve or stop and the opening, substantially as set forth.

3. In a generator of the type wherein asolid material such as carbid or its residuum passes downward through an opening or passageway into a chamber beneath, the combination of a liquid-holding tank and a solid-holding receptacle or chamber provided with a bell which rises and falls in the said tank and with an opening or passage-way leading downward from the said solid-holding receptacle and provided with a seat for a valve or stop, and a valve or stop therefor adapted to feed solid or granular materials and cooperating with said seat to open and close without clogging with the said solid or granular materials, the valve when seating making contact with its seat along a substantially narrow line in contradistinction to seating upon a broad and fitted surface, and means controlled by the gas generated for giving relative adjustment between the valve or stop and its seat, substantially as set forth.

4. In an acetylene-generator, the combine tion of chambers for the carbid and for the water, an opening or passage-way afiording communication between said chambers, to-

ward which the bottom of the carbid-chamber is convergent and inclined or funnelshaped, a valve for controlling the freedom of communication through said opening or passage-way, the valve when seating making contact with its seat along a substantially narrow line in contradistinction to seating upon a broad and fitted surface, substantially as set forth.

5. In an acetylene-generator, the combination of chambers for the carbid and for the water, an opening or passage-way afiording communication between said chambers, and a carbid-support within the carbid-chamber supported through the opening or passageway independently of the walls of the said carbid-chamber, substantially as set forth.

6. In an acetylene generator, an upper chamber for carbid, a lower chamber for water beneath, an opening or passage-way from one to the other, a stop or valve for the said opening, the'valve when closed making contact with said opening or passage-way along asubstantially narrow line in contradistinction to seating upon a broad and fitted surface, and gas-actuated means for controlling the freedom of passage between the said stop or valve and the walls of said opening or passage-way.

7. In an acetylene generator, a carbidchamber, a water-chamber beneath, an opening or passage-way from one to the other, a support for carbid and a stop or valve for the said opening or passage-way, both within the carbid-chamber, and an instrumentality outside of said chamber connected to carry the said stop or valve, substantially as set forth.

8. In combination in an acetylene-generator, a carbid chamber having a discharge opening or passage-way directed downward and means for supporting the carbid at least partially and preventing it from falling vertically into said opening or passage-way, and means for controlling the freedom of passage through said opening or passage-way;

9. In combination in an acetylene-generator, a carbid chamber having a discharge opening or passage-way directed downward, a stop or valve therefor, means for efiecting a relative movement between the passageway and the stop or valve, and means within the chamber for taking the weight of the carbid at least in part from the vicinity of said stop or valve and its seat for the purpose of facilitating such relative movement.

10. In combination in an acetylene-generator, a carbid chamber having a discharge opening or passage-way directed downward, and a converging bottom leading to said opening or passage-way, a stop or valve for controlling the freedom of passage through the opening or passage-way, and means for taking the weight of the carbid from the said bottom in the vicinity of the said stop or valve, for the purpose of facilitating the relative movement between said stop or valve and the surface upon which it is seated.

11. In combination in an acetylene-generator, a carbid chamber having a discharge opening or passage-way directed downward through its bottom, and means above said opening or passage-Way for supporting material at least partially, but leaving an annular space around such means, whereby only the particles falling through the annular space. may press toward said opening or passage way. p p

a 12. In an acetylene-generator having a= car bid-chamber with a water-space beneath it,

a tortuous means of communication from the carbid to the water-space, whereby-the whole weight of the carbid or the residuum of carbid may not press freely toward said communication, and means for controlling the f'reedom' of passage through such means of communication, leaving a through-passage for the materials when opened, substantially as setforth. 1

1 3. In an acetylene-generatingapparatus 'havinga carbid compartment or chamber losible gas-holder, .the valve when seating making contact with its seat along a substantially:

narrow line in contradistinction to seating upon a broad and fitted surface, substantially as set forth.

14. In an acetylene-generating apparatus having a carbid compartment or chamber lo-v cated above a water-space and having also an expansibl'e gas-holder, the combination of a spring for the said expansible holder, and means foradj usting the tension of such spring, substantially as set forth.

15. In an acetylene-generating apparatus having a carbid compartment or chamber-105 cated above a Water-space and having an ex-- pansible gas-holder, the combination of a spring acting on the expansible holder and tending to vary its expansion, and means for controlling the communication between'carbidand Water actuated by the movement of the said holder.

' 16. In an acetylene-generator the combination with an outervessel for holding water of a buoyant vessel open at the bottom and provided with a carbid-chamber having a con-- verging bottom, of a stationary plug-valve arranged centrally of an opening at the bottom of the said receptacle, the valve when seating making contact with its seat along a substantially narrow line in contradistinction to seating upon a broad and fitted surface,and means for closing'the valve automatically when the buoyant vessel is raised by the gas generated within it. I r

17. In an acetylene-gas generator of the type in which the carbid-chamber isabove the water-chamber and in which carbid or carbid residuum falls through an opening into the water-chamber, the combination of a downwardconverging bottom having a scatter a stop or valve, and a stop or valve therefor concen tric with the said seat which leaves a substantially free passage for the granular or solid materials, the valve when seating making contact with its seat along a substantially narrow line incontradistinction'to seating upon a broad and fitted surface, and means for giving a movement of separation or approach between the seat and the stop or valve, and for regulating the annular interval between them, substantially as set forth.

18. In an acetylenegenerator of a type wherein the carbid-chamber is above the water-chamber, the combination of the waterholding chamber, a valve or stop for controlling the feeding of the carbid or its residuum into the said water-holding chamber, a receptacle or chamber for receiving the carbid waste or residuum, a passage-way from the water-holding chamber to the said receptacle or chamber, a valve for said passage-way, and a second passage-way leading out of the said receptacle and provided with means for closing such 'passage way, substantially as set forth. p I

Signed this 5th day of August, 1901, at Buffalo, New York;

' DAVID N. LONG.

Witnesses: V I I THEO. L. POPP, LOUIS W. GRATZ.

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